How Often Should You Clean a Boat? A Gran Canaria Guide

There's no single answer that fits every boat: a RIB that goes out every weekend is not the same as a sailboat that sits berthed for months. But there's one rule that never fails in Gran Canaria: your boat gets dirty even when you don't use it. Airborne salt, Saharan dust (calima) and the sun work every single day of the year. This guide sums up the frequencies we apply at Mar Brillo so your gelcoat, teak and upholstery last for years in good condition.

The quick answer

• After every trip: rinse with fresh water to remove the salt before it crystallises.
• Every 2-4 weeks: a full exterior clean (hull, deck, glass, stainless steel).
• Every month: an interior wipe-down and ventilation to prevent mould and odours.
• 1-2 times a year: polish and wax the gelcoat, treat the teak and deep-clean the upholstery.
• Depending on hull and sailing: check the underwater hull and antifouling, usually once a year.

Why you have to clean more often in Gran Canaria

The climate that makes the island a paradise for year-round sailing is the same one that punishes your boat. Solar radiation is intense even in winter and oxidises unprotected gelcoat. Salt doesn't only reach the boat while sailing: at the berth, the sea breeze deposits salt every day. And the calima (Saharan dust) covers the boat in abrasive powder several times a year. Add bird droppings, which are acidic and mark the gelcoat within days if they aren't removed.

Recommended frequency, area by area

Hull and gelcoat

Wash with a neutral-pH marine soap every 2-4 weeks, and polish + wax 1 or 2 times a year. Wax isn't a luxury: it creates a barrier that makes salt and dust slide off and every clean quicker.

Deck, glass and stainless steel

A fresh-water rinse after every trip and a thorough clean every 2-4 weeks. Stainless steel especially benefits: dried salt is the number-one cause of corrosion pitting on fittings and stanchions.

Teak

Frequent fresh-water rinsing and a gentle monthly clean, always with a soft brush and along the grain. A specific treatment 1-2 times a year stops it going grey and splitting. We explain it in detail in our guide to cleaning and caring for your boat's teak.

Upholstery, awnings and covers

Shake and vacuum every week of use, textile cleaning every 1-2 months, and always store everything dry. The night-time damp at the berth is mould's number-one ally.

Interior and bilges

A monthly check and ventilation even if the boat isn't used: open up, air it out, check the corners and leave a dehumidifier if it will be closed for weeks. Bilges should be checked and cleaned at least a couple of times a year.

And depending on how you use it

• Occasional use (1-2 trips a month): rinse after each trip and a full monthly clean.
• Regular use (every week): a full clean every 2-3 weeks; the boat pays you back in shine and resale value.
• Charter or rental: a quick turnaround between groups and a weekly deep clean; the client's first impression is the deck.
• Boat sitting at the berth: don't assume "it's not being used": a minimum monthly clean to hold back dust, salt and birds.

Signs it's already time for a clean

If the gelcoat looks matt or feels rough, if the glass has a white haze, if there are orange specks on the stainless steel or greenish stains on canvas and interior corners, your boat isn't asking for a clean — it's demanding one. The longer you wait, the more aggressive you have to be to recover it, and that always shortens the life of the materials. Consistency is the cheap option.

Frequently asked questions